Launching apparatus



Feb. '19, 1946.

A. T. REYNOLDS ET AL LAUNGHING APPARATUS 2 Shee ts-Sheet 1 F'i'led March 7; 1945 Patented Feb. 19, 1946 Alfred''1;"*Ite'ynolils and Stephenie; Mercaitafite,

New York N. Y.

ApplicationlMarch 7, 1945, .Seria1.N0.-581,533

.solaims. (Until- 671 (Granted =under.*:the act-.0! .Marchfi, 188x15!- p v v amendedsApnil530,.1928337'0056.1157) {This invention relates'ingenera'l to a method v"Aecpniin'g :to thwg r s ntimnflon;1jhe" ecand apparatus 'for moving heavy unwieldy "obti'onsnf sliding waysare"raised'abovetheground tents, and in 'particular'to a method and *a-ppaway-s and'wnile' in anelevated position are moved .zratus :for placing sliding 'Ways' under -a ship to down-thegrouridways andover the greasedpor- 'enable itsIaunching. 45 tion. 'I'hey-are'then-lfoweredfinto-plaoe. As"*the "Whena'ship'is in c'ondit'ionfor1aunching;s1idsliding'ways' remain -'ab'ove'- the*-ground ways all ingways must be moved into rpositionbeneath the -wa-y during their travel beneath the shi t h pf p n'e ndw y The ro nd ways rombowto -s'tern the 'g'reasing'flperationsdo'not "constitute the "foundation upon which the ship have to be liiniteii *to-ithe'area to be covered by :i'estsas it"slides intothe water. They generally 10 one section. Thepresentinvention-Hulatherelimconsist of parallel ramps on both sides of the inat'es the riecessity o f wliiing lips or other keel running the full length of the shipan'dinattaching meanslupon thesidesxof the sliipfiheredline f-rom bow to stern'toward and into'the water toforejnecessary.

and "slightly inward toward the keel of the-ves- The inventiqn mayf-best be understoowby rei- "'sel. 'The sliding ways generally consist ofiong erence tb-theaccompanyingdrawings in whieh: sections solidly constructed.- of heavy timbers and Figure :1- is a- "view-er the -assemfiledapparatus j 'generally weighing from twelve to twenty-five showing its position ?in 'rlationtoa cross-seetons-each. 'Twenty'ormore-seetionsof'suoh slid- *tien df sIiding aways and'ground ways used 'in ingways 'are generally required for ea'ehdaun'chship launching embodying this-invention; ing operation depending upon the size, length Figure-2 1s a' side levation o'f 'one of'thedolly 1 'and tonna'ge of-the ship. andjak"devices-shown in Figure1. p

' "Ordinarily the sections of sliding ways "are 1 i"gu-re3 is a'top plan 'view o'f therdolly and stored in thewicin'ity of the-bow of the shipnntil jaok'deviceshown inFigure 1 *justprior to the launching. Prior to the launoh- Figure-was an--e'nd *elevation ofthe dolly and *ing operation suflici'ent shoring is removed to jak devi eeshown in i flgure z.

clear the ground ways. Asec'tion of theshding Figure '55s a ections-1 view takenmn "the-line waysis then swung by a craneor other suitable 5-5"-df"Figure*4, and moving means o-ntorollers on that section of *Fi gure 'G' isa septionalwiew taken on the line the gr'ound ways extending from'heneath the bow 6-6of Figure 2-. p p "ofthevessel. Referring tothey'drawingsin -"detail, *Figure' l Prior practice'was to slide the section downt'he shows *ground ways'il covered' with a thick ground ways *upon rollers until it wasin-position coating of lubricant, such as -=grease 2211115011 fa't'the water's edge The section'wasthenpulled whidh s'liding ways 23 "are' superimposeii. Lag

oil the ground ways in 'towardthe keel :blocks bolts-"2Whaving lifting eye's 2-5 arescr'ewed into by means --or skidsan'd c'hainhoistsattached-to the sliding ways; On eithers'iae Ofthe slidin clips welded upon the ship; then aheavy 'coat' of waysiand restingnpon the groundwaysarepargrease was applied to that portion 'oftheground 'all'l' tr-a'eks -2 6*=which extend' the full -length "of ways upon which the particular section-was to rethe ground'ways =24. "Dollies 21*rest upon the s'ide'and thesliding ways we're-pulled back-upon traoks on either-side (if-the sliding 'ways"-23'-and the grea'sed portion by the same method. 'Suc- 'twotransverse memirrers "-28" placedraoross the ceeding sections would be similarly placed until sliding ways are supported thereon. The *two the operation was completed. transverseimenieersizli are spaced 'apart'andsup- Only that portion of "the'ground ways upon poft hangers wmvinghofiked ends 30; 'These which the particular section being handled was k hangers-29Tiiii'vee a threatded"seotion 31i Whi'fithfll- -to i-reside oould he greased, as any further por-- gages '-a= nut-fl: resting *uponfa wa's'her '33 which 'tion wouldheifouledin the" handling refthe inext is'supported byfthe'ttansversejnen'ihers"28. "lfhe section of sliding ways. This method required 'shangers ZQfarepbsitioned' so -'that*thehooks -30 subject to' frequent accidents occurring during Referring-to thedolfies-fl'findetail,Figures 2 the"handlin'g (if-the heavy sections in fiheibflto fi, members' di' atesidepieeesweldedor otherfined spaces beneath the vessel. -wise seeured to- -fioorpl'atehfi to for j'aTranj'e or An object of this invention, therefore, is to chassise Heavymeta-lwheels fi'l havin'gaxies 38 #provide a .new method :and apparatu's'ffor' movare rotatively mounted upon the chassis 'bymeans *in'g sliding ways fbenealth arshi-p prior to its of *antiefrictionbearings"(not shown) and are ilaunching. 'held' in place* by suitaole-"retainingmeans,such

as nuts 39. Guide members 40, shown as pieces of angle'iron, are mounted upright upon the floor plate 36 and fixedly secured thereto. These guide members are additionally supported by braces 4|, welded or otherwise secured to the outer walls of the guide members 40 and to the fioor .plate 36. Positioned within the guide members 40 are adjustable members 42 of the same shape as the said guide members (see Fig. 6). A head plate 43 is secured to the members 42, and is braced and strengthened byraprons 44 secured to the bottom of the head plate and to the edges of the members 42. ,The members 42, head plate 43 and aprons 44 form a movable head unit designated as 45. V

The unit 45 may be raised or lowered vertically by means of a heavy duty jack 46, the base 41 of which rests upon the floor plate 36, and the head 48 of which engages the bottom-of the head plate 43. The jack 46 is operated by means ,of a crank 49 into which a handle, or other suitable prime mover (not shown), may be inserted. Said crank 49'extends outwardly from the jack to an extent that the handle will clear the dolly when operated, best seen in Figure 4.

Upon one wheel of each dolly a driving mech anism therefor is provided. This mechanism consists of a ratchet wheel 50 solidly fixed to said wheel 31. A drive member into which a handle 52 may be inserted is rotatively positioned on the axle 38 adjacent to the ratchet wheel 50. A pawl 53 having a lip 54 is rotatively fixed as at 55 to the inner side of the drive member 5| and above the ratchet wheel 50 and is so positioned that the lip 54 engages the teeth of said ratchet wheel. As the handle 52 is moved down the lip 54 of the pawl 53 slides over the teeth of the ratchet wheel. As it is moved up the lip 54 engages the teeth of the ratchet wheel and causes both ratchet wheel 50 andthe wheel 31 to rotate (see Figure 5).

A brake device is also provided to control the movement of the dolly upon the groundways. This device consistsofa frame 56 secured to the sidepieces 35 and tapering above the wheel 31 to an internaly threaded collar 51. A screw 58 operated by a hand wheel 59 threadedly engages said internally threaded collar 51. A brake shoe 60 is coupled to the end of the screw 58 and is positioned above the face of the wheel 31. By turning the brake wheel 59 the brake shoe 60 may be forced against the wheel 31 providing a powerful braking action.

In operation, a section of sliding ways is placed by a, crane or other means on the lubricated ground ways at the bow of the ship between the track 25. Dollies 2'! are placed oneach of the tracks directly opposite each other. Lag bolts .24 are screwed into the section. Transverse members 28 are placed across the section and on the movable heads 45 of the dollies, and each-assembly, consisting of two dollies with the two transverse members resting upon them, is lined up with the lag bolts 24. If desired the transverse members 28 may be fixed to the movable heads 45 of the dollies, however, the weight of the members alone will hold the assembly together. The hangers 29 are now placed upon the transverse members and moved between thebars and adjusted by meansof nuts 32 until the hooks 30 engage the eyes 25 of the lag bolts. Two or more assemblies, spaced so as to evenly distribute the weight of the section are placed in the same manner.

The jacks 46 are now operated so as to raise .the movable heads 45 of the dollies. By this means the'whole section of sliding ways is raised and swings beneath the transverse members. The section is now started down the inclining ground ways by operating the driving mechanisms on the dollies. After the section has started moving it will continue down the ground ways due to its own momentum. The dollies run smoothly on the tracks 26.

If the forward motion of the section down the ground ways becomes too great it may be necessary to slow it down, and if conditions require such, to bring it to rest. This is done by rotating the brake wheels 59 resulting in tightening the brake shoes 66 against the wheels 31 of the dollies, and a reverse operation to free the section for further motion, as conditions may require.

Prior to placing the required number of sections of slidings ways, it will be understood that any desired portion of the ground ways may be and each assembly, consisting of the two dolly and jack devices 27 with the two transverse members 28 resting upon them, is rolled back up the inclining round ways and over the next section of sliding ways which has meanwhile been placed on the ground ways at the bow. Each section is placed in the same manner.

By the above described method and apparatus, sliding ways are quickly and easily placed beneath a ship about to be launched. The welding of heavy clips to the ship for rigging operations and the dangerous practice of moving the sliding waysfrom the ground ways, greasing the ground ways, and then moving the sliding ways back over the greased portion, all in the confined space beneath the ship, have been eliminated. Greasing operations may be carried on at remote portions of the ground ways while the sections of sliding ways are being placed, and any desired portion of the ground ways may be greased beforeheand. Time, labor and accidents in the placing of sliding ways have been greatly reduced.

It is to be understood that various modifications and changes may be made in this invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, as set forth in theappended claims.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

What is claimed-is:

1. The method of placing sliding ways beneath a ship upon ground ways comprising, applying a coating of grease to said ground ways, placing a section of sliding ways upon the said ground ways at the bow of the ship, raising said section of sliding ways above the level of the said ground ways, moving the said section of sliding ways down the ground ways beneath the ship while said section of sliding ways is in an elevated position, and lowering said section of sliding ways upon the grease on said ground ways when the said section of sliding ways is in proper positionbeneath the ship.

2. The method of placing sliding ways beneath a ship upon ground ways comprising, applying a Ways beneath the ship, placing a section of sliding ways upon the said ground ways at the bow of the ship, raising said section of sliding ways above the level of the said ground ways, moving the said section of sliding ways down the ground ways beneath the ship and over the greased portion of said ground Ways while the said section of sliding ways is in an elevated position, and lowering the said section of sliding ways upon the grease on said greased portion of ground ways.

3. An apparatus for placing sliding ways heneath a ship upon ground ways comprising parallel tracks extending substantially the length of said ground ways a transverse member positioned across said tracks, means upon said transverse member for securing said sliding ways thereunder, and rolling means positioned at approximately each end of said transverse member and resting upon said tracks, each of the said rolling means having a movable member and means for raising and lowering the said movable member, and the said transverse member being supported at each end by the said movable members of the said rolling means.

4. An apparatus for placing sliding ways beneath a ship upon ground ways comprising, parallel tracks extending the length of the said ground ways, said tracks being spaced apart at least the width of said sliding ways, a transverse member positioned across said tracks, and rolling means positioned at approximately each end of said transverse member and resting upon said tracks, each of the said rolling means having a movable member and means for raising and lowering said movable member, and the said transverse member being supported at each end by the said movable members of the said rolling means.

5. An apparatus for placing sliding ways beneath a ship upon ground ways comprising parallel tracks extending the length of the said ground ways, said tracks being spaced apart at least the width of said sliding ways whereby a section of sliding ways maybe placed between the said tracks, a transverse member positioned across said tracks, a chassis having wheels rotatively mounted thereon, positioned at approximately each end of said transverse member, the said wheels resting upon the said tracks, each of the said chassis having a movable member and means for raising and lowering the said movable member, and the said transverse member being supported at its ends upon the said movable members.

' ALFRED T. REYNOLDS.

STEPHENS. MERCATAN'I'E. 

